


nothing but some heartburn, baby

by volchitsae



Series: affection and acid reflux [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23693740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/volchitsae/pseuds/volchitsae
Summary: "your apartment is next to mine and i can hear you and your partner dancing and singing and the bed moving and you two laughing and talking in hushed tones and it won’t let me sleep so i bitch about it to you 24/7 and one day it stops and one day turns to one week and then months and i haven’t seen you smile in forever please let me in, i’ve been knocking for ten minutes" AUSakusa is just trying to pass med school.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, brief mention of Kageyama Tobio/Hinata Shouyou, past Miya Atsumu/Hinata Shouyou - Relationship
Series: affection and acid reflux [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754059
Comments: 31
Kudos: 765





	nothing but some heartburn, baby

**Author's Note:**

> i'd like to preface this work by clarifying: the tag does say past atsuhina but this fic does not involve bashing of hinata, the actual sun of my life!! I would never.

They’re at it again.

At what exactly Sakusa doesn’t really know, but it’s _loud_ and it’s _2 am_ and he has an exam on orthopedic anatomy in six hours and he’s going to get these fucking phalanges and cuneiforms memorized even if it kills him.

Med school might kill him eventually, but that’s _eventually_. For now, it’s him at his kitchen table, this textbook diagram of a foot in various angles, and breathy giggling with the _thump-thump_ of a bedframe from the apartment next door.

For the past few months since they moved in and Sakusa’s started his most recent year in school, the couple next door have been all kinds of annoying. The loud sex, the Netflix movies even louder to fail at masking the loud sex, and off tune singing.

He’s met them, being neighbors and all. Miya Atsumu and Hinata Shouyou: law student and athletic therapy student slash university volleyball player.

He considers them friends, kind of. Nothing bonds people like suffering. He and Hinata have had overlapping course topics in their classes sometimes and they’ve studied together at the campus library before, agonizing over shoulder muscle groups and joint rotations.

Okay, maybe just him and Hinata are friends. Atsumu was no help at that time if Sakusa recalls correctly.

“I’ve got tests too, but I’m being so gracious to lend my body for study. For _science_ ,” Atsumu says.

“Atsumu, _stop_ moving,” Hinata says. Atsumu pays no mind and continues flexing his arms in an imitation of bodybuilders at competitions. He winks obnoxiously at Sakusa who holds up a steady middle finger with his free hand; his other hand is occupied with pointing and naming various muscles for Hinata to locate. Hinata pokes at Atsumu’s ribcage to make him jolt.

“Supraspinatus, followed by the infraspinatus, and teres major,” Sakusa drones. Hinata pokes Atsumu accordingly and fists pumps when Sakusa nods. Atsumu’s got a hand clapped over Hinata’s mouth to keep him from shouting.

“Shouyou, ew, you licked my hand,” Atsumu whines. He makes to wipe his hand on Sakusa but the death glare he gets means he licks Hinata’s spit off his palm while waggling his eyebrows at Hinata. Sakusa makes a dry heaving noise and pops open the cap of his hand sanitizer over Hinata’s snickering.

“Your turn, Omi-kun!” Atsumu rolls up his shirt sleeve (wholly unnecessary) and wolf whistles at his own triceps.

Sakusa opts to take the piss out of Atsumu instead. “Hinata’s got more defined muscles than you, he’s the better model.” Hinata laughs too loudly when Atsumu gasps, wounded, and they get scolded by neighboring students.

He names the ligaments and bursae of the shoulder with ease. Atsumu and Hinata whip out sticker sheets to stick a star and an apple on Sakusa’s notes to celebrate.

The digital clock on his television stand now glares _2:30_. Sakusa wonders how much it’d cost to break his lease and move elsewhere, but then shudders at the terrible price he’s paying monthly for his tiny apartment anyway. It’s two blocks from the train station to the university and that’s exactly why he’s accruing a mountain of debt, med school notwithstanding.

He slams his forehead into his textbook and groans in exasperation. Apparently he’s loud enough that the bed creaking stops for half a second and he hears a bark of laughter before it resumes.

He makes a mental note to complain at either one of them when he gets back from class.

* * *

The exam goes reasonably well and his classes after are like dragging himself through mud. Contemplating dinner, Sakusa sits cross legged in his shitty plastic lawn chair on his small balcony flicking through meticulously color coded flashcards. The sun has just started to set, but it’s a nice golden warmth with the trees rustling in the breeze and dried leaves tumbling along the road.

The peace is broken when the door to the balcony next to his slams open and Atsumu stumbles outside to unleash a _behemoth_ of a sneeze. Birds get scared out of the bushes with the force of it. Sakusa himself winces with his entire body, clutching his flashcards, and stares at Atsumu with shock. He can hear Hinata cackling from inside the apartment.

“’m sorry, Omi-kun,” Atsumu sniffs, pulling up the collar of his shirt to wipe at his nose. “I got a little enthusiastic with the electronic pepper grinder.”

Sakusa sighs and flips to the next card. “I’m pretty sure you could’ve kept that sneeze _inside_ your apartment.”

Atsumu grins and leans over the railing towards Sakusa. “Could’ve, but I bet Shouyou my sneeze was loud enough to echo, and what better than to bounce a sneeze off of these apartment buildings?”

“Did you snort pepper on _purpose_?” At Atsumu’s nod, Sakusa shakes his head, incredulous.

“What did you two bet – wait, don’t. I really,” Sakusa clamps his eyes shut and gives a long suffering sigh, “ _really_ don’t need to know.” Atsumu laughs and does a wink and finger gun combo that’s truly atrocious.

When Sakusa tells him so, Atsumu sticks his nose in the air primly. “Shou! Omi-Omi insulted me; he gets no carbonara for dinner.”

Sakusa is unphased. “I have gimbap, I’m fine.”

“Like what, one roll? That’s not filling at all, Omi-kun.”

Hinata pokes his head out onto the balcony. “Hiya, Omi-san! I’m really bad at measuring pasta so to keep Atsumu from eating this for two days straight, please take some.”

“Hey, Hinata. How’d you measure the pasta badly?”

Hinata goes and retrieves a plastic pasta measuring tool that has figures of a person and a horse on it.

“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,” Hinata says solemnly, which makes Sakusa laugh. Hinata beams and goes back inside when he hears the hiss of the pot boiling over.

Sakusa turns his attention back to Atsumu. “Is this bribery? When you got out here, I was just about to complain to you that you two were pretty loud yesterday.”

“Yesterday when?” Atsumu says, feigning ignorance. “Because Shou and I were home and healthily exploring our bodies at multiple points in time yesterday –“ He stops and dissolves into laughter when Sakusa throws and hits him on the nose with a highlighter.

“I don’t care when _or_ how, just keep it down, not everyone has a voice kink around here.” Atsumu then makes a horrid moaning noise such that even Hinata tells him to be quiet; properly scolded, Atsumu shrugs and hands over a steaming paper plate of pasta across the balcony to Sakusa.

“Didja do okay on the exam, Omi-kun? I know you were stressed ‘bout it.” Atsumu genuinely looks worried, despite the teasing.

Sakusa manages a stilted nod. “It was alright. I’m gonna go back inside, tell Hinata I said thanks for the pasta.” Atsumu smiles back and slides the door open.

“If it’s seasoned well, it’s ‘cause of me!”

“I doubt you can smell or taste anything after a line of black pepper.”

* * *

The semester passes by somewhat similarly after that – for Sakusa, the weeks blend together after a while. Studying at home or in the campus into the late hours, knocking on the wall when Hinata and Atsumu are too loud at whatever (dancing, singing, sleeping together), and taking exams or practical evaluations every other week.

The semester ends with a hell week of exams; Sakusa has no time to breathe and only leaves his apartment for groceries. He invests in some noise cancelling headphones as a Christmas present to himself and they’re worth every penny.

During winter break, the apartment next door is as silent as the snow; Sakusa figures Atsumu and Hinata have gone home or went on a vacation somewhere.

It’s two months into the new semester before Sakusa realizes hasn’t heard any of Hinata and Atsumu’s shenanigans for weeks.

When Sakusa realizes this (again on his balcony) he isn’t sure what to make of it. He thinks back on his visits to the library and confirms he’s not seen Hinata or Atsumu at all. Plus, he’s been using the headphones regularly under the assumption that the both of them were still making a racket through the wall; hell, he has them on even now, so he doesn’t know how many pairs of feet dance through the kitchen off beat anymore.

He’s seen Atsumu a few times when they cross paths in their apartment hallway looking tired, no jokes or teasing. They barely spoke because Sakusa was also as tired as Atsumu looked. He didn’t think too much of it, but maybe he should have.

Sakusa pulls the headphones off slowly, feeling a little foolish for being so concerned. He leans in his seat and looks over at the balcony door next to his, which is dark and quiet. It’s a Saturday night – maybe they’re out? They usually are. Wait, have they just moved out without telling him?

He strains his ears; one pair of feet shuffling around.

Sakusa is up and out of his apartment before he realizes he’s done it, and now he’s got one hand curled into a fist, knocking on the door.

Then he breaks out into a cold sweat because _really._ He should’ve thought a little farther than this.

No answer, but Sakusa knows someone’s in there.

He tries again. No answer.

A few minutes pass by with this pattern of _knock-wait-wait-wait-knock_ before he hears footsteps from inside and Sakusa hopes it’s one of them and not a total stranger, because he’s been knocking for like ten minutes and someone is going to call the cops on him for being a creep –

The door swings open and Atsumu stands in the doorway in a loose shirt and sweatpants with eyebags so dark they’re nearly bruises under his eyes. They widen in surprise to see Sakusa in the hallway.

“Omi-kun,” he rasps, then clears his throat to try again. “Hey, Omi-kun. What brings you here on this Saturday night? Shouldn’t you be out with friends or studyin’ for the next exam?”

His classmates _have_ invited him out but he’s chosen to decompress on his balcony, sue him. 

Sakusa pulls a small stack of flashcards he forgot to take out of his hoodie pocket. “Studying,” he says, and speaks in a rush to get it over with when Atsumu opens his mouth.

“Where’s Hinata?”

Atsumu’s jaw snaps shut with an audible click and Sakusa considers locking himself in his room and never leaving his room again.

Atsumu shrugs nonchalantly. “We’re not together anymore,” he says, almost too light. “Didn’t think you cared so much, Omi-Omi.”

“I don’t,” Sakusa says, and then swears. “I mean – I just – don’t hear you guys anymore. Through the wall. I wanted to check up on you, see if everything was okay.”

 _Clearly it’s not, idiot,_ his brain supplies. His train of thought gets cut short when a small grin appears on Atsumu’s face as he leans against the doorframe.

“Said you were real fed up with our noise, and now you’re saying you miss it? Should’ve told us earlier, you coulda’ joined in or somethin’.”

Sakusa’s face drops from concern into a blank, unamused face. “If this is what I get for being someone concerned about your wellbeing I take it all back.”

Atsumu chuckles and does that small half shrug again. “I’m – okay, I guess. Thanks. Just been studyin’ like you.”

“I haven’t seen you in the library.”

“I’m in the law library now.”

“Oh.”

He’s scrambling for something to say now, but it’s Atsumu’s turn to cut him off when he backs into his apartment and opens the door wider.

“D’you wanna come inside? Didja eat yet?”

“Sure, and no. You sure it’s okay?” When Atsumu nods, he follows him into the apartment and looks around.

He’s never been in there before, to be fair, but it definitely feels like things have been removed and shuffled around. The living room lights aren’t on like they usually are; Atsumu only has the stovetop light on, fried rice sizzling in a pan.

“I’ve just got heated up leftovers,” Atsumu says in lieu of an apology. “I’d cook somethin’, but I’ve been havin’ trouble lately figuring out what I wanna eat.” He plates the warm rice and carries them over to the kitchen table where Sakusa is seated.

“I’ve indulged in instant ramen lately. Would not recommend.”

Atsumu chuckles over his glass of water. “You and me both.”

They eat in semi-comfortable silence. Sakusa finds it a little weird to not have Hinata around, who is better than they are at keeping the conversation going.

When they finish, Sakusa gets up and takes Atsumu’s plate and stacks it on top of his.

“You cooked me dinner, it’s the least I can do.” Atsumu puts both of his hands up in surrender but leaves his seat anyway to hop up and sit on the counter next to the sink while Sakusa washes their dinnerware. In the light of the stove fan, Atsumu looks warm and comfortable.

“I really ‘preciate it, Omi-kun, but I’m doin’ alright. School’s shit and I know you know what it’s like.”

Sakusa hums in agreement, remembering his previous exams, and speaks without thinking. “I haven’t seen you smile in months, though.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Atsumu freezes in place. Sakusa keeps scrubbing. He’s never taken so long to wash two plates and two spoons before in his life.

He sees Atsumu try to come up with something witty, probably to deflect. Sakusa turns his head to make eye contact with him. Caught, Atsumu scrubs at his face with one hand.

“It was over Christmas break. When we started datin’, Shouyou had mentioned that it took him a while to get over his unrequited crush. Turns out when Tobio came back from his semester abroad, it wasn’t so unrequited after all. We ended it mutually, so there’s no hard feelings, except, well –“

“Except you miss him,” Sakusa fills in. “That’s a hard feeling.” Atsumu laughs, a small self-deprecating thing, and nods.

“Yeah,” he sighs. “It’s a lot lonelier and quieter. You would know.” Atsumu waggles his eyebrows and Sakusa rolls his eyes in response, flicking soapy water off the rubber gloves at him.

Atsumu goes to the fridge and pulls out some grapes and an apple. He bumps Sakusa out of the way at the sink with his hip.

“I dunno, though. It’s been a while since then and like I said, I’m doin’ a lot better now. With you here, Omi-Omi, it’s not so bad. You’re plenty good company.” His face is unreadable as he carefully cuts the apple into apple bunny slices.

Sakusa feels warmth curl in his chest and absentmindedly brings his hand to it.

It doesn’t go unnoticed. “Did I make your heart skip a beat, Omi-kun? Steal your breath away?” Atsumu’s smile is crooked, teasing, and Sakusa is almost relieved to see it but resents that it’s at his expense.

“If I had heart palpitations or respiratory issues I’d go see a doctor.”

“Aren’t you nearly a doctor anyway? Can’t you diagnose yourself? Come down with a case of _me_?”

Atsumu is laughing as Sakusa sputters. His voice climbs an octave. “Oh _doctor_ , you’ll have to put your hand on my chest, I can barely _breathe_ , my heart is pounding _so_ fast –“

“Why don’t you lie down and model those intercostal muscles and ventricles for me instead?” Sakusa feels his ears burn underneath his hood.

Atsumu straightens, astonished. “Ooh, cheeky, you never told me you needed _assistance_ in your _practical anatomy_ class – “

“Shut up, I regret having ever brought this up.”

Atsumu laughs again, even brighter this time around, and Sakusa fumbles with his apple bunny and thinks to himself that they’re off to a good start.

**Author's Note:**

> title from [happy not knowing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4YbNztrCIA) by carly rae jepsen. if you like funky, driving synths, this is your song.
> 
> "volchitsae," you say. "it's been two days since you posted a sakuatsu fic." yes, you're correct. yes, i have finals next week. i also have sakuatsu AU brain worms and i feed them by writing. perhaps it's selfish, to write what i'd like to read? no regrets though, because this was fun and i could put my little book of human anatomy to use.
> 
> thank you for reading this! i hope you enjoyed it <3


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